Today we’ll talk about such an important concept in singing as voice resonators. You can even say that this is the basis, because thanks to the resonators, you can basically understand how the voice is formed, why it sounds.

Resonators are the foundation of sound generation. As you know, sound originates in the larynx, but it sounds due to resonators. In the larynx, however, it should not be felt.

In simple terms, voice resonators are cavities, voids surrounded by bone borders that resonate, creating a vibration.

Voice resonators need to learn to use. There are special exercises for the development and proper use of resonators, which we will talk about later.

What are voice resonators?

Resonators are thoracic and head. We will analyze a little each type of resonator.

Breast resonators

Thoracic resonators of the voice are located below the vocal folds (ligaments) and are responsible for how our voice sounds in the lower tones, that is, on the thoracic (on the chest register, read “Voice Registers”).

Breast resonators:

• The bronchi.
• Trachea.

Breast resonators are called so because they are located in the chest. When we sing with ordinary chest voices, then chest resonators work. This can be verified as follows: put your hand on your chest while singing in your chest voice (or just talking) – and you will feel a vibration in the chest area. It works chest resonators.

But these are physical sensations. A true vocalist should also develop imaginative thinking while singing. So, with breast singing, you need to imagine that a sound is born in the chest and breaks out.

Head resonators

Head resonators are already above the vocal cords. They are involved in the work when singing in a high voice, head (falsetto, see “Head voice. How to sing high notes?”).

Head resonators are located in the head, which is why they are called head cavities:

• The nasal cavity.
• The oral cavity.
• The cavity of the pharynx.

How to check the operation of the upper (head) resonators? Very simple: try to sing something or say with your head voice (falsetto), while putting your hand on the bridge of the nose – it will vibrate.

Again, in this case, the vocalist needs to understand not only the physical sensations, but also the imagination. The vocalist should imagine that the sound passes through the soft palate – and comes out somewhere from the back of the head.

Resonator exercises

There are some exercises for each group of resonators (chest and head) that will help you better understand their work, as well as develop them.

Exercises for chest resonators

1. We stand straight (you can do the exercise in front of the mirror). Having accumulated a sufficient amount of air into the lungs, as we exhale, we lean forward, while exhaling we utter a vowel sound, such as “aaa”, “eee”, “oooh”. You can constantly change vowels.
2. The next exercise is exactly the same as the first, only when exhaling we pronounce not vowels, but any word for chant. It is desirable that the word be more or less chanted: “good”, “milk”, “tururu”.
3. Take in air while standing upright. Make a vocal yawn (yawn, but not to the end – but leave the soft palate and larynx rounded up). Together with this vocal yawn – as you exhale, pronounce lingering vowels (“uuu”, “yayaya”, “eee”). When doing the exercise, place your hand on your chest to feel the work of the chest resonators.

Head resonator exercises

1. Inhale through the nose – quickly and briefly. As you exhale, utter the sound “mmm” with your mouth closed. This exercise is called mooing. It is necessary to achieve in this exercise that you feel vibration in the region of the upper lip and upper teeth.
2. Also inhale with your nose. As you exhale, pronounce the words: “bomm”, “domm”, “bimm”, etc. Try to pronounce the last consonant “mm” in a long way, this is the meaning of the exercise. It is similar to the first – “mooing”. You also need to achieve vibration of the upper lip and upper teeth.
3. Inhale – as you exhale, first pronounce briefly, and then lingeringly, the following syllables: “mi-miiii”, “mu-muuuuu”, “we-myyyy” and the like.

If you are going to seriously engage in vocals, then you must understand the principle of operation of such elements of vocals as voice resonators.

Train while doing the exercises. By the way, these exercises are performed not only by beginners, but also by experienced vocalists. In general, in vocals – as in any instrument – you need tuning (voice tuning). And only exercises will help to adjust the voice.